The most important adjustment that the Sixers made in Game 4 against the Boston Celtics, a 103-92 victory that extended their season for at least a few more days, was obvious: Brett Brown inserted T.J. McConnell into the starting lineup, and the fan favorite played 39 glorious minutes that elicited “T.J.! T.J.!” chants from the entire home crowd. The legend grows even larger.

McConnell brings toughness, energy (don’t say grit, don’t say grit), and many other desirable qualities to the table for a team that is staring at elimination. More under the radar, there was also a schematic change that further helped the Sixers play exactly like the situation called for, scratching and clawing for their playoff lives. Brown mentioned many times over the last 48 hours about how his main job was to keep his players’ spirits high, and his coaching staff tweaked the Sixers’ defense in a way that had just as much and perhaps more to do with instilling an assertive mentality...